Disazo Acid Dyes

ABSTRACT

Compounds of the general formula (I) 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     a process for their preparation and their use for dyeing and/or printing organic substrates.

The invention relates to novel acid dyes, a process for their preparation and their use for dyeing organic substrates.

Acid dyes are known and dyes with bridging members are known as well. However, there is still a need for acid dyes with improved properties.

The invention provides compounds of the general formula (I)

where

-   -   R¹, R², R⁹ and R¹⁰ are independently unsubstituted unbranched         C₁₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or substituted         unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, or aryl,         or —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl where p=1, 2, 3 or 4,     -   R³ and R⁸ is hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or         unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or substituted unbranched         C₁₋₆alkyl or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted         unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy or         substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or substituted branched         C₃₋₆alkoxy, or halogen, or —NHCO—(C₁₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched         C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, or         —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is         substituted or unsubstituted, or —NHCONH₂,     -   BR is a bridge of the formula -A-B-A- wherein         -   A is substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl or             unsubstituted phenyl or unsubstituted naphthyl, and         -   B is a bridging             —[(CR⁶R⁷)—(CR^(6′)R^(7′))_(m)-(CR^(6″)R^(7″))_(n)-(CR^(6′″)R^(7′″))_(o)]-             where m, n and o have the meaning of 1 or 0, and R⁶, R⁷,             R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are             independently hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl,             substituted unbranched substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or un             substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched             C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted or substituted phenyl or R⁶ and R⁷             together or R^(6′) and R^(7′) together or R^(6″) and R^(7″)             together or R^(6′″) R^(7′″) together form a five or six             membered aliphatic ring, or         -   B is a bridging sulphon, or B is a bridging sulphonamide or         -   B is a bridging carboxamide or         -   B is a bridging

and the compounds of the formula (I) bear 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups.

In preferred compounds of the general formula (I)

-   -   R¹ and R⁹ are unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or         unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or substituted unbranched         C₁₋₆alkyl or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl,     -   R² and R¹⁰ are aryl, or —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl where p=1, 2, 3, or 4,     -   R³ and R⁸ are hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or         unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or substituted unbranched         C₁₋₆alkyl or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted         unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy or         substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or substituted branched         C₃₋₆alkoxy,     -   BR is a bridge of the formula -A-B-A- wherein         -   A is substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl or             unsubstituted phenyl or unsubstituted naphthyl, and         -   B is a bridging             —[(CR⁶R⁷)—(CR^(6′)R^(7′))_(m)-(CR^(6″)R^(7″))_(n)-(CR^(6′″)R^(7′″))_(o)]-             where m, n and o have the meaning of 1 or 0, and R⁶, R⁷,             R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are             independently hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl,             substituted unbranched C₁₋₆ alkyl, substituted branched             C₃₋₆alkyl or un substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl,             unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted or             substituted phenyl or R⁶ and R⁷ together or R^(6′) and             R^(7′) together or R^(6″) and R^(7″) together or R^(6′″) and             R^(7′″) together form a five or six membered aliphatic ring,             or         -   B is a bridging sulphon, or B is a bridging sulphonamide or         -   B is a bridging carboxamide or         -   B is a bridging

The preferably 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups are preferably the further substituents or the substituents on the radicals R¹, R², R⁹ and R¹⁰. By preference these 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups are attached to aryl moieties of the radicals R¹, R², R⁹ and R¹⁰ if aryl moieties are present in the radicals R¹, R², R⁹ and R¹⁰. More preferred these 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups are located on the radicals R² and/or R¹⁰. In the preferred compounds of the formula (I) there are no anionic substituents in the bridge member BR.

The preferred compounds of the formula (I) bear 2 sulpho groups.

Aryl is preferably substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl or unsubstituted phenyl or unsubstituted naphthyl. The substituted aryl groups are preferably substituted by nitro or sulpho groups. Particular preference is given to sulpho groups as substituents on the aryl groups.

Very particular preference is further given to compounds of the formula (I) wherein R² and/or R¹⁰ are substituted or unsubstituted —(CH₂)_(p)-phenyl or substituted or unsubstituted —(CH₂)_(p)-naphthyl where p=1, 2, 3 or 4, preferrably p is 1 or 2 and of which a —CH₂-phenyl group is very particularly preferred.

The preferred —CH₂-phenylen groups are substituted, preferably by nitro groups and/or sulpho groups, a sulpho group being very particularly preferred as a substituent for the preferred —CH₂-phenyl groups.

Particularly preferred —CH₂-phenyl groups have the following formula

The branched C₃₋₆alkyl groups or unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl groups and the unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy groups or branched C₃₋₆alkoxy groups can be further substituted with hydroxy groups or cyano groups. Preferably the alkyl groups and/or the alkoxy groups are not further substituted.

In the preferred compounds of the formula (I) the preferred alkyl groups and the preferred alkoxy groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, methoxy and ethoxy groups. Methyl, ethyl and methoxy groups are very particularly preferred.

In the preferred compounds of the formula (I), the particularly preferred bridges have the structures (II-1) or (II-2) or (II-3) or (II-4) or (II-5):

wherein

-   _(R) ⁴, R^(4′), R⁵ and R^(5′) are independently hydrogen,     unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted branched     C₃₋₆alkyl or substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or substituted     branched C₃₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or     unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy or substituted unbranched     C₁₋₆alkoxy or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, or halogen or     —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is     substituted or unsubstituted, or —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched     C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, or —NHCONH₂ -   R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are     independently hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl,     unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted or substituted     phenyl, or R⁶ and R⁷ together or R^(6′) and R^(7′) together or     R^(6″) and R^(7″) together or R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) together form a     five or six membered aliphatic ring, or -   m, n and o have the meaning of 1 or 0.

From the bridge structures (II-1) or (II-2) or (II-3) or (II-4), the bridge structure (II-3) are the preferred bridge BR. In the preferred structure (II-3) m is 1, n and o are each 0 and have the following structure (II-3′)

wherein R^(4′), R^(5′), R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′) and R^(7′) have the meaning as described above.

Preferably R^(4′) and R^(5′) are hydrogen and R⁴ and R⁵ are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, or substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl or unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy or substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy or substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy. Most preferably R^(4′), R^(5′), R⁴ and R⁵ are each hydrogen.

Preferably R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently hydrogen or methyl or ethyl or phenyl. Most preferably R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′) and R^(7′) are each hydrogen (and in is 1, n and o are each 0).

The invention also provides a process for preparing compounds of the formula (I). The present invention's compounds of the formula (I) can be prepared under conventional conditions in conventional processes.

In these processes, both the amine functions of compounds of the formula (II)

H₂N—BR—NH₂  (II),

which are known from the literature are conventionally diazotized and coupled onto totally two equivalents of a compound of the formula (IIIa) and of a compound of the formula (IIIb)

where the substituents are each as defined above an the sum of the compound of the formula (IIIa) and of the compound of the formula (IIIb) is two equivalents.

It should be clear to a person skilled in the art, that the statistical mixture of the different possible compounds will result in such a reaction procedure, wherein the diamin (II) is bis-diazotized and then reacted with the mixture of the compounds of the formulae (IIIa) and (IIIb). Furthermore, in case that one of the components (IIIa) and/or (IIIb) comprises position isomers it should be clear to a person skilled in the art, that this would result as well to the statistical mixture of the additional different possible compounds. As an example, the compound of the formula (IIIa) may consist of a mixture of the compounds (IIIa′) and (IIIa″), e.g. 15 weight-% of the compound of the formula (IIIa′) and 85 weight-% of the compound of the formula (IIIa″)

In these processes, the particular diamine is cooled to 0-10° C. or preferably to 0-5° C. and diazotized by adding nitrosylsulphuric acid or sodium nitrite. Afterwards, the bis-diazotized diamine is allowed to react with the compound (IIIa) or with the compound (IIIb), preferably in aqueous solution.

The dyes of the formula (I) can be isolated from the reaction medium by conventional processes, for example by salting out with an alkali metal salt, filtering and drying, if appropriate under reduced pressure and at elevated temperature.

Depending on the reaction and/or isolation conditions, the dyes of the formula (I) can be obtained as free acid, as salt or as mixed salt which contains for example one or more cations selected from alkali metal ions, for example the sodium ion, or an ammonium ion or alkylammonium cation, for example mono-, di- or trimethyl- or -ethylammonium cations. The dye can be converted by conventional techniques from the free acid into a salt or into a mixed salt or vice versa or from one salt form into another. If desired, the dyes can be further purified by diafiltration, in which case unwanted salts and synthesis by-products are separated from the crude anionic dye.

The removal of unwanted salts and synthesis by-products and partial removal of water from the crude dye solution is carried out by means of a semipermeable membrane by applying a pressure whereby the dye is obtained without the unwanted salts and synthesis by-products as a solution and if necessary as a solid body in a conventional manner.

The dyes of the formula (I) and their salts are particularly suitable for dyeing or printing fibrous material consisting of natural or synthetic polyamides in yellow to violet shades. The dyes of the formula (I) and their salts are suitable for producing Inkjet printing inks and for using these Inkjet printing inks to print fibrous material which consists of natural or synthetic polyamides or cellulose (paper for example).

The invention accordingly provides from another aspect for the use of the dyes of the formula (I), their salts and mixtures for dyeing and/or printing fibrous materials consisting of natural or synthetic polyamides. A further aspect is the production of Inkjet printing inks and their use for printing fibrous materials consisting of natural or synthetic polyamides.

Dyeing is carried out as per known processes, see for example the dyeing processes described in Ullmanns Encyklopädie der technischen Chemie, 4th Edition, 1982, Volume 22, pages 658-673 or in the book by M. Peter and H. K. Rouette, Grundlagen der Textilveredlung, 13th Edition, 1989, pages 535-556 and 566-574. Preference is given to dyeing in the exhaust process at a temperature of 30 to 140° C., more preferably 80 to 120° C. and most preferably at a temperature of 80 to 100° C., and at a liquor ratio in the range from 3:1 to 40:1.

The substrate to be dyed can be present in the form of yarn, woven fabric, loop-formingly knitted fabric or carpet for example. Fully fashioned dyeings are even permanently possible on delicate substrates, examples being lambswool, cashmere, alpaca and mohair. The dyes of the invention are particularly useful for dyeing fine-denier fibres (microfibres).

The dyes according to the present invention and their salts are highly compatible with known acid dyes. Accordingly, the dyes of the formula (I), their salts or mixtures can be used alone in a dyeing or printing process or else as a component in a combination shade dyeing or printing composition together with other acid dyes of the same class, i.e. with acid dyes possessing comparable dyeing properties, such as for example fastness properties and exhaustion rates from the dyebath onto the substrate. The dyes of the present invention can be used in particular together with certain other dyes having suitable chromophores. The ratio in which the dyes are present in a combination shade dyeing or printing composition is dictated by the hue to be obtained.

The novel dyes of the formula (I), as stated above, are very useful for dyeing natural and synthetic polyamides, i.e. wool, silk and all nylon types, on each of which dyeings having a high fastness level, especially good light fastness and good wet fastnesses (washing, alkaline perspiration) are obtained. The dyes of the formula (I) and their salts have a high rate of exhaustion. The ability of the dyes of the formula (I) and their salt to build up is likewise very good. On-tone dyeings on the identified substrates are of outstanding quality. All dyeings moreover have a constant hue under artificial light. Furthermore, the fastness to decating and boiling is good.

One decisive advantage of the novel dyes is that they are metal free and provide very level dyeings.

The compounds according to the invention can be used as an individual dye or else, owing to their good compatibility, as a combination element with other dyes of the same class having comparable dyeing properties, for example with regard to general fastnesses, exhaustion value, etc. The combination shade dyeings obtained have similar fastnesses to dyeings with the individual dye.

The invention's dyes of the formula (I) can also be used as red components in trichromatic dyeing or printing. Trichromatic dyeing or printing can utilize all customary and known dyeing and printing processes, such as for example the continuous process, exhaustion process, foam dyeing process and Ink-Jet process.

The composition of the individual dye components in the trichromatic dye mixture used in the process of the invention depends on the desired hue. A brown hue for example preferably utilizes 20-40% by weight of a yellow component, 40-60% by weight of the invention's orange or red component and 10-20% by weight of a blue component.

The orange component, as described above, can consist of a single component or of a mixture of different orange individual components conforming to the formula (I). Preference is given to double and triple combinations.

Particularly preferred blue and/or yellow components are described in WO2002/46318.

In the examples which follow, parts and percentages are by weight and temperatures are reported in degrees Celsius.

PREPARATION EXAMPLE 1

29.1 parts of 3-[(ethylphenylamino)methyl]benzenesulphonic acid were suspended in 200 parts of water and dissolved by adding a small amount of sodium hydroxide solution (approx. 30% strength) at a pH 7-7.5. This solution was then admixed with a bis-diazonium salt solution prepared in a conventional manner from 43.0 parts of 1,2-(4,4′-diamino diphenyl)ethane and 50 parts by volume of 4N sodium nitrite solution at 0-5° C. The pH is held at 7.0-7.5 by metered addition of 15% sodium carbonate solution. After coupling had ended, the resulting dye of the formula

is salted out with sodium chloride, filtered off and dried at 50° C. under reduced pressure. On wool and in particular on polyamide fibres it produces orange dyeings having very good light and wet fastness properties (lamda(max) (λ_(max))=482 nm).

EXAMPLES 2-28

The tables I and II which follow contain dyes which can be prepared similarly to the method described in Example 1 by using the corresponding starting materials. These dyes provide orange dyeings having very good light and wet fastnesses on polyamide fibres and wool.

TABLE I Example R¹ and R⁹ R² and R¹⁰ R³ and R⁸ BR λ_(max) [nm] 2 Et

Me

469 3 Et

H

467 4 Et

Me

488 5 Et

H

485 6 Et

dto.

465 7 Et

Me

470 8 Et

dto.

466 9 Et

H

462 10 Et

Me

458 11 Et

H

455 12 Et

dto.

457 13 Et

Me

460 14 Et

dto.

462 15 Et

dto.

472 16 Et

dto.

483 17 Et

H

475 18 n-Pr

Me

490 19 Et

H

495 20 i-Pr

dto.

487 21 n-Bu

Me

489 22 n-Pr

dto.

478 23 n-Pr

H

485 24 n-Pr

dto.

483 25 Me

dto.

489 26 Me

Me

495 27 n-Bu

H

492 28 n-Bu

dto.

491 29 n-Bu

Me

494 30 n-Bu

dto.

480 31 Me

dto.

483 32 Me

dto.

467 33 Me

H

485 34 Et

H

487 35 n-Pr

H

487 36 i-Pr

H

488 37 n-Bu

H

490 38 Me

Me

489 39 Et

Me

486 40 n-Pr

Me

488 41 i-Pr

Me

487 42 n-Bu

Me

491 43 Me

H

510 44 Et

H

511 45 n-Pr

H

512 46 i-Pr

H

512 47 n-Bu

H

514 48 Me

Me

512 49 Et

Me

514 50 n-Pr

Me

516 51 i-Pr

Me

515 52 n-Bu

Me

517 53 Me

H

520 54 Et

H

523 55 n-Pr

H

524 56 i-Pr

H

524 57 n-Bu

H

526 58 Me

Me

524 59 Et

Me

525 60 n-Pr

Me

527 61 i-Pr

Me

527 62 n-Bu

Me

528 63 Me

H

515 64 Et

H

517 65 n-Pr

H

519 66 i-Pr

H

520 67 n-Bu

H

520 68 Me

Me

518 69 Et

Me

519 70 n-Pr

Me

519 71 i-Pr

Me

522 72 n-Bu

Me

526 73 Me

H

488 74 Et

H

486 75 n-Pr

H

489 76 i-Pr

H

487 77 n-Bu

H

489 78 Me

Me

485 79 Et

Me

486 80 n-Pr

Me

487 81 i-Pr

Me

487 82 n-Bu

Me

489 83 Me

H

505 84 Et

H

507 85 n-Pr

H

509 86 i-Pr

H

509 87 n-Bu

H

511 88 Me

Me

508 89 Et

Me

508 90 n-Pr

Me

510 91 i-Pr

Me

509 92 n-Bu

Me

512 93 Et

493 94 Et

H

490 95 Et

H

483 96 Et

485 97 Et

H

482 98 Et

H

482 99 Et

H

484 100 Et

Me

486 101 Et

H

480 102 Et

Me

523 103 Et

Me

525 104 Et

Me

520 105 Et

Me

522 106 Et

Me

487 107 Et

Me

524 108 Et

H

520 109 Et

H

483 110 Et

Me

485 111 Et

Me

486 112 Et

H

483

TABLE II Ex- λ_(max) ample R¹ R² R³ BR R⁸ R⁹ R¹⁰ [nm] 113 Et

Me

Me Et

519 114 Et

Me

Me Et

487 115 Et

Me

Me Et

489 117 Et

Me

Me Et

522 118 Et

H

H Et

520 119 Et

H

H Et

490 120 Et

H

H Et

523 121 Et

H

H Et

493 122 Et

Me

Me Et

485 123 Et

Me

Me Et

483 124 Et

Me

Me Et

496 125 Et

Me

Me Et

496 126 Et

H

H Et

494 127 Et

H

H Et

494 128 Et

Me

Me Et

528 129 n-Pr

Me

Me n-Pr

530 130 Et

Me

Me Et

528 131 Et

Me

Me Et

489 132 Et

Me

Me Et

486 133 Et

H

H Et

484 134 Et

H

H Et

483 135 Et

Me

Me Et

485 136 H

H

H Et

480 137 Et

Me

Me Et

523 138 Et

Et

488 139 Et

Me

Me Et

520 140 Et

Me

Me Et

494

USE EXAMPLE A

A dyebath at 40° C., consisting of 2000 parts of water, 1 part of a weakly cation-active levelling agent which is based on an ethoxylated aminopropyl fatty acid amide and which has affinity for dye, 0.25 part of the dye of Preparation Example 1 and adjusted to pH 5 with 1-2 parts of 40% acetic acid is entered with 100 parts of nylon-6 fabric. After 10 minutes at 40° C., the dyebath is heated to 98° C. at a rate of 1° C. per minute and then left at the boil for 45-60 minutes. Thereafter it is cooled down to 70° C. over 15 minutes. The dyeing is removed from the bath, rinsed with hot and then with cold water and dried. The result obtained is an orange polyamide dyeing possessing good light and wet fastnesses.

USE EXAMPLE B

A dyebath at 40° C., consisting of 2000 parts of water, 1 part of a weakly cation-active levelling agent which is based on an ethoxylated aminopropyl fatty acid amide and which has affinity for dye, 0.3 part of the dye of Preparation Example 1 and adjusted to pH 5.5 with 1-2 parts of 40% acetic acid is entered with 100 parts of nylon-6,6 fabric. After 10 minutes at 40° C., the dyebath is heated to 120° C. at a rate of 1.5° C. per minute and then left at this temperature for 15-25 minutes. Thereafter it is cooled down to 70° C. over 25 minutes. The dyeing is removed from the dyebath, rinsed with hot and then with cold water and dried. The result obtained is an orange polyamide dyeing with good levelness and having good light and wet fastnesses.

USE EXAMPLE C

A dyebath at 40° C., consisting of 4000 parts of water, 1 part of a weakly amphoteric levelling agent which is based on a sulphated, ethoxylated fatty acid amide and which has affinity for dye, 0.4 part of the dye of Preparation Example 1 and adjusted to pH 5 with 1-2 parts of 40% acetic acid is entered with 100 parts of wool fabric. After 10 minutes at 40° C., the dyebath is heated to boiling at a rate of 1° C. per minute and then left at the boil for 40-60 minutes. Thereafter it is cooled down to 70° C. over 20 minutes. The dyeing is removed from the bath, rinsed with hot and then with cold water and dried. The result obtained is an orange wool dyeing possessing good light and wet fastnesses.

USE EXAMPLE D

100 parts of a woven nylon-6 material are padded with a 50° C. liquor consisting of

40 parts of the dye of Preparation Example 1, 100 parts of urea, 20 parts of a nonionic solubilizer based on butyldiglycol, 15-20 parts of acetic acid (to adjust the pH to 4), 10 parts of a weakly cation-active levelling agent which is based on an ethoxylated aminopropyl fatty acid amide and has affinity for dye, and 810-815 parts of water (to make up to 1000 parts of padding liquor).

The material thus impregnated is rolled up and left to dwell in a steaming chamber under saturated steam conditions at 85-98° C. for 3-6 hours for fixation. The dyeing is then rinsed with hot and cold water and dried. The result obtained is an orange nylon dyeing having good levelness in the piece and good light and wet fastnesses.

USE EXAMPLE E

A textile cut pile sheet material composed of nylon-6 and having a synthetic base fabric is padded with a liquor containing per 1000 parts

1 part of dye of Preparation Example 1 4 parts of a commercially available thickener based on carob flour ether 2 parts of a nonionic ethylene oxide adduct of a higher alkylphenol 1 part of 60% acetic acid.

This is followed by printing with a paste which per 1000 parts contains the following components:

20 parts of commercially available alkoxylated fatty alkylamine (displace product) 20 parts of a commercially available thickener based on carob flour ether.

The print is fixed for 6 minutes in saturated steam at 100° C., rinsed and dried. The result obtained is a level-coloured cover material having an orange and white pattern.

USE EXAMPLE F

A dyebath at 40° C. consisting of 2000 parts of water, 1 part of a weakly cation-active levelling agent which is based on an ethoxylated aminopropyl fatty acid amide and has affinity for dye, 0.2 part of the dye of Example 1, 1.5 parts of a commercially available preparation of C.I. Acid Yellow 236 (Nylosan Yellow F-L) and 0.5 part of the blue dye of Preparation Example 46 of the patent application WO99/51681 and EP1066340 B1:

Preparation Example 46 of the patent application WO99/51681 and EP1066340 B1, which is adjusted to pH 5 with 1-2 parts of 40% acetic acid is entered with 100 parts of woven nylon-6,6 fabric. After 10 minutes at 40° C., the dyebath is heated to 98° C. at a rate of 1° C. per minute and then left at the boil for 45 to 60 minutes. This is followed by cooling down to 70° C. over 15 minutes. The dyeing is removed from the bath, rinsed with hot and then with cold water and dried. The result obtained is a level grey polyamide dyeing having good light and wet fastnesses.

USE EXAMPLE G

100 parts of a chrome-tanned and synthetically retanned shave-moist grain leather are dyed for 30 minutes in a bath of 300 parts of water and 2 parts of the dye of Preparation Example 1 at 55° C. After addition of 4 parts of a 60% emulsion of a sulphited fish oil, the leather is fatliquored for 45 minutes. It is then acidified with 8.5% formic acid and milled for 10 minutes (final pH in the bath 3.5-4.0). The leather is then rinsed, allowed to drip dry and finished as usual. The result obtained is a leather dyed in a level clear orange hue with good fastnesses.

Use Examples A to G can also be carried out with dyes 2 to 140 with similar results.

USE EXAMPLE H

3 parts of the dye of Preparation Example 3 are dissolved in 82 parts of demineralized water and 15 parts of diethylene glycol at 60° C. Cooling down to room temperature gives an orange printing ink which is very highly suitable for ink jet printing on paper or polyamide and wool textiles.

Use Example H can also be carried out with dyes 1 or 2 and 4 to 140 with similar results.

USE EXAMPLE I

A dyebath consisting of 1000 parts of water, 80 parts of calcined Glauber salt, 1 part of sodium nitrobenzene-3-sulphonate and 1 part of dye from Example 79 is heated to 80° C. in the course of 10 minutes. Then, 100 parts of mercerized cotton are added. This is followed by dyeing at 80° C. for 5 minutes and then heating to 95° C. in the course of 15 minutes. After 10 minutes at 95° C., 3 parts of sodium carbonate are added, followed by a further 7 parts of sodium carbonate after 20 minutes and another 10 parts of sodium carbonate after 30 minutes at 95° C. Dyeing is subsequently continued at 95° C. for 60 minutes. The dyed material is then removed from the dyebath and rinsed in running demineralized water for 3 minutes. This is followed by two washes for 10 minutes in 5000 parts of boiling demineralized water at a time and subsequent rinsing in running demineralized water at 60° C. for 3 minutes and with cold tap water for one minute. Drying leaves a brilliant orange cotton dyeing having good fastnesses.

USE EXAMPLE J

0.2 part of the dye of Preparation Example 1 is dissolved in 100 parts of hot water and the solution is cooled down to room temperature. This solution is added to 100 parts of chemically bleached sulphite pulp beaten in 2000 parts of water in a Hollander. After 15 minutes of commixing the stuff is sized with resin size and aluminium sulphate in a conventional manner Paper produced from this stuff has an orange shade with good wet fastnesses.

Use Examples I and J can also be carried out with dyes 1 to 140 with similar results. 

1. A compound of the general formula (I)

wherein R¹, R², R⁹ and R¹⁰ are independently selected from the group consisting of: unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, aryl, and —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl wherein p=1 2, 3 or 4, R³ and R⁸ is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, halogen, —NHCO—(C₁₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, and —NHCONH₂, BR is a bridge of the formula -A-B-A- wherein A is selected from the group consisting of: substituted phenyl, substituted naphthyl, unsubstituted phenyl, and unsubstituted naphthyl, and B is a bridging —[(CR⁶R⁷)—(CR^(6′)R^(7′))_(m)-(CR^(6″)R^(7″))_(n)-(CR^(6′″)R^(7′″))_(o)]- where m, n and o are independently 1 or 0, and R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl, and substituted phenyl, or B is a bridging sulphon, or B is a bridging sulphonamide, or B is a bridging carboxamide, or B is a bridging

and the compound of the formula (I) contains 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups and wherein there are no anionic groups in the bridging member BR.
 2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R¹ and R⁹ are independently selected from the group consisting of: unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, R² and R¹⁰ are independently aryl, or —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl wherein p is 1, 2, 3 or 4, R³ and R⁸ are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, BR is a bridge of the formula -A-B-A- wherein A is selected from the group consisting of: substituted phenyl, substituted naphthyl, unsubstituted phenyl, and unsubstituted naphthyl, and B is a bridging —[(CR⁶R⁷)—(CR^(6′)R^(7′))_(m)- (CR^(6″)R^(7″))_(n)-(CR^(6′″)R^(7′″))_(o)]- where m, n and o are independently 1 or 0, and R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl, and substituted phenyl or B is a bridging sulphon, or B is a bridging sulphonamide, or B is a bridging carboxamide, or B is a bridging

and the compound of the formula (I) contains 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups.
 3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein the compound of the formula (I) contains 2 sulpho groups.
 4. A compound according to claim 1 wherein the bridge BR is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R⁴, R^(4′), R⁵ and R^(5′) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, halogen, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, and —NHCONH₂ R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl and substituted phenyl, or m, n and o are independently 1 or
 0. 5. A process for preparing a compound of the formula (I) according to claim 1, comprising the step of diazotizing and coupling both the amine functions of a compound of the formula (II) H₂N—BR—NH₂  (II) onto a total of two equivalents of a compound of the formula (IIIa) and of a compound of the formula (IIIb)

wherein the substituents are each as defined above.
 6. A process for dyeing and/or printing an organic substrate comprising the step of contacting at least one compound of the formula (I) according to claim 1 with the organic substrate.
 7. A process for dyeing and/or printing a substrate comprising wool, silk and/or synthetic polyamide comprising the step of contacting at least one compound of formula (I) according to claim 1 with the substrate comprising wool, silk and/or synthetic polyamide.
 8. A process for preparing a printing ink, comprising the step of adding at least one compound of formula (I) according to claim 1, to at least one further component of a printing ink.
 9. A process for preparing an inkjet printing ink, comprising the step of adding at least one compound of formula (I) according to claim 1, to at least one further component of a inkjet printing ink.
 10. An inkjet printing ink, comprising at least one compound of formula (I) according to claim
 1. 11. A printing ink, comprising at least one compound of formula (I) according to claim
 1. 12. A substrate dyed and/or printed by the process according to claim
 6. 13. A compound of the general formula (I)

wherein R¹ and R⁹ are independently selected from the group consisting of: unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, R² and R¹⁰ are independently aryl, or —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl wherein p is 1, 2, 3 or 4, R³ and R⁸ are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, BR is a bridge of the formula -A-B-A- wherein A is selected from the group consisting of: substituted phenyl, or substituted naphthyl, unsubstituted phenyl, and unsubstituted naphthyl, and B is a bridging —[(CR⁶R⁷)—(CR^(6′)R^(7′))_(m)-(CR^(6″)R^(7″))_(n)-(CR^(6′″)R^(7′″))_(o)]- where m, n and o are independently 1 or 0, and R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl, and substituted phenyl or B is a bridging sulphon, or B is a bridging sulphonamide, or B is a bridging carboxamide, or B is a bridging

and the compound of the formula (I) contains 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups and wherein there are no anionic groups in the bridging member BR.
 14. A compound of the general formula (I)

wherein R¹ and R⁹ are independently selected from the group consisting of: unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, R² and R¹⁰ are independently aryl, or —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl wherein p is 1, 2, 3 or 4, R³ and R⁸ are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, BR is a bridge of the formula -A-B-A- wherein A is selected from the group consisting of: substituted phenyl, substituted naphthyl, unsubstituted phenyl, and unsubstituted naphthyl, and B is a bridging —[(CR⁶R⁷)—(CR^(6′)R^(7′))_(m)-(CR^(6″)R^(7″))_(n)-(CR^(6′″)R^(7′″))_(o)]- where m, n and o are independently 1 or 0, and R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl, and substituted phenyl or B is a bridging sulphon, or B is a bridging sulphonamide, or B is a bridging carboxamide, or B is a bridging

and the compound of the formula (I) contains 2 sulpho groups and wherein there are no anionic groups in the bridging member BR.
 15. A compound of the general formula (I)

wherein R¹ and R⁹ are independently selected from the group consisting of: unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, and substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, R² and R¹⁰ are independently aryl, or —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl wherein p is 1, 2, 3 or 4, R³ and R⁸ are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, and or-substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, BR is a bridge selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R⁴, R^(4′), R₅ and R^(5′) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, halogen, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, and —NHCONH₂ R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl and substituted phenyl, or m, n and o are independently 1 or 0 and the compound of the formula (I) contains 1, 2 or 3 sulpho groups and wherein there are no anionic groups in the bridge BR.
 16. A compound of the general formula (I)

wherein R¹, R², R⁹ and R¹⁰ are independently selected from the group consisting of: unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, aryl, and —(CH₂)_(p)-aryl wherein p=1, 2, 3 or 4, R³ and R⁸ is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, halogen, —NHCO—(C₁₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, and —NHCONH₂, BR is a bridge selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R⁴, R^(4′), R⁵ and R^(5′) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, substituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, substituted branched C₃₋₆alkoxy, halogen, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with an unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, —NHCO—(C₃₋₆alkyl) with a branched C₃₋₆alkyl group, which is substituted or unsubstituted, and —NHCONH₂ R⁶, R⁷, R^(6′), R^(7′), R^(6″), R^(7″), R^(6′″) and R^(7′″) are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkyl, unsubstituted unbranched C₁₋₆alkoxy, unsubstituted phenyl and substituted phenyl, or m, n and o are independently 1 or 0, and the compound of the formula (I) contains 2 sulpho groups and wherein there are no anionic groups in the bridging member BR. 